Snapshots Of A Single Father
by GleeGeneration23
Summary: Briggs didn't expect Charlie to die in a car accident by some drug dealers she had broken and he sure as hell didn't expect to be a single father to their daughter-Watch the residents of Graceland and Baby Briggs struggle in the big bad world-otherwise known as oneshots featuring daddy Briggs-Accepting Prompts (see inside) Please feel free to read and review
1. Glass

**Hi Everyone this is another story and my first Graceland fic so tell me what you think **

**I know that this story is a bit like my Katy Reagan one from Blue Bloods however I am writing this one slightly differently. I am a huge fan of Briggs and while I do love him with Charlie-Charlie I found is difficult to write and I really enjoy a vulnerable Briggs. **

**In this story Charlie is dead in a car accident created by one of the drug cartels she had previously put away and I tried to highlight Brigg's anguish in this story.**

**I hope this story should be around 30 chapters but I would like some prompts from you guys-any chapter any character and any scenario-no deaths however of the rest of the Graceland residents prompted if that's ok I don't really write character deaths very well. **

**I hope you all enjoyed this and let me know what you thought! I also don't have Graceland Season 1 on DVD (due to living in the UK) and I haven't watched all of Season 2 so I apologise for any inaccuracies I hope I have kept the characters as accurate as possible **

**Disclaimer-I own nothing but Carina Briggs **

**And Please Let me know what you think-I hope to receive prompts and update soon **

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><p><span>Snapshots Of A Single Father-<span>

Briggs didn't expect Charlie to die in a car accident by some drug dealers she was trying to break-and he sure as hell didn't expect to be a single father to their daughter. Watch the residents of Graceland and Baby Briggs struggle in the big bad world-or cute daddy Briggs feels. Accepting Prompts for approximately 30 chapters.

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><p><span>Chapter 1-Glass<span>

Brigg's takes to the bottle in the weeks after Charlie' death and ends up nearly making a terrible mistake.

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><p>Charlie was not supposed to go out in a car accident. The fact that she had was seeping into Graceland like dry rot. Paige had taken over food, managing in a way that was effective and worked. When Jakes and Mike and Johnny staggered in from where they had been spending the day there would always be something hot for them and they ate in silence before falling into bed always to exhausted by grief and the work to say much.<p>

Paul Briggs however had taken to his room; it was common knowledge that his room was now banned at night and when Mike came in the next day to see if Briggs had made it through the night it was always to find a couple of bottles on the floor and Briggs fast asleep his room a mess.

There was also barely any mention of the man for his daughter. Carina Catherine Briggs had been only a month old when her mother had died in what seemed like payback from a drug cartel she had put down months prior and since then she had barely seen her father.

It made Paige's head spin. She had never lost someone in the way that Briggs had but she could never understand why Briggs seemed so distant to his own child. It seemed only she Mike and Johnny were talking care of Carina, with Johnny and Jakes (mainly Johnny) spending all day with her and Paige and Mike feeding her at night.

"We need to make him see some kind of reason" she said during the second month of this isolation. Carina was asleep and Johnny, Mike and Jakes were all sat downstairs with her. "We need to do something true" Mike said nodding in the voice of reason "But its Briggs Paige what can we do?"

"Well we need to do something" Johnny said rubbing his face over his hands "The kid needs her father and I need a decent nice sleep" Jakes nodded "I say we don't give him a choice –let's just place Carina in his room tonight and see how it goes. Maybe if he hears his daughter cry it might make him snap"

"In which way?" Jakes muttered.

That night Paige dressed Carina in a little white onesie with rainbows on it and gave her, her bottle. She was an incredibly cute child. She had a tuft of dark hair and dark eyes and a cute button nose and her skin was the colour of extremely milky coffee. She wrapped her in the fuzzy yellow blanket that Jakes had bought at the baby-shower and after slipping in a small pacifier she hoisted the baby on her hip and gently slipped into Briggs room.

He was in the shower when she slipped in. The crib that Charlie had bought was still in the corner of the room the smaller one having been taken into Paige's room in the aftermath. Gently Paige placed the baby into the crib pulling the blanket over her securely and leaving the room.

She caught Mike and Johnny and Jakes outside the room watching and she shrugged. It didn't matter anymore the ball was completely in Brigg's court now.

When Brigg's staggered out the shower he collapsed into bed taking another swig of rum that had become his daily source of comfort. He fell asleep unaware of the sleeping child away from him.

Until like all new-born's Carina cried.

It was a thin reedy cry at first that changed into a full blown hungry wail in nearly five seconds. Briggs ignored it in favour of burying himself into the pillow.

When it became clear that Carina was not going to shut up Paul staggered upwards blinking blearily against the light that had filtered from the moon into the open window.

He tried to think, he tried to do something but all he could think off was Charlie-the life that they were supposed to happen and the voices that blared in his head that he had failed. That this kid, his kid, Charlie's kid was now faced with the daunting process of growing up with just him. And he was going to screw this up as he screwed everything else up.

He sat on the bed and rocked forwards his head encased in one hand and the other clutching the bottle like it was a lifeline. He growled feeling the tension build and build unable to think or breathe over that damn crying and he needed it to stop…

"Shut the Fuck up!" he roared unable to control himself anymore and before he could stop himself there was a crash as he threw the bottle across the room, soaring over his daughters crib and shattering on the other side of the wall.

There was a pause as something undignified fell out of Paul's mouth as his daughter's cries continued in earnest before the door slammed open.

It was Paige who was stood there in her shorts and slouchy t-shirt her mouth wide open in something akin to horror. Mike was stood behind her sleep rumpled and somehow younger than his age looking at Briggs with something akin to a terrible disappointment and Johnny watching in anger.

"That's it" Paige snarled throwing her hands up in the air her face white with a combination of shock and anger. She stormed over to the crib before her voice rose an octave. "Oh crap Johnny get me a car I need to take Carina to the hospital"

"Why" Paul forced out his voice nothing more than a croak the feeling of helplessness drowning him, but Paige ignored him turning instead to Mike "There's glass in the crib" she said urgently "I need to get her checked out"

"I'll come" Paul said his hands reaching out in desperation the sudden urge to feel his daughter for the first time in nearly two months, but again Paige ignored him shushing Carina silently turning to face him her face twisting "No" she snapped moving out of his range "You're not coming"

"She's my daughter" he said unable to form anything else out knowing deep down that the words were meaningless and hypercritical and Paige just shot him a look that made him feel like nothing.

"You're not acting like her father" she snapped "And she can go back in my room tonight and I swear Brigg's if there is so much of a scratch on her then I will ensure that you never see her again" and with that she stalked out leaving a gaping Brigg's and an embarrassed Mike.

"I…" Paul looked around desperate to catch something, anything that could make this ok. He couldn't think, couldn't understand anything other than Charlie was dead and his daughter was reliant on him. His daughter didn't have a mother.

How the hell was he supposed to be good enough? How the hell was he supposed to replace or even attempt to contemplate replacing her? How was he a competent replacement?

"I…I wasn't gonna hurt her" he said catching Mike's eye "I'm… I'm her dad, I wouldn't…Mike I wouldn't…" he trailed off unable to finish his breath catching in his throat, choking him.

Mike nodded walking slowly looking at Brigg's like he was a startled animal "Come on Brigg's" he said softly his voice and face full of pity "How about we go for a walk down the beach?" he said reaching forwards to grasp the bottle and pull it out of the loose hands on his once training agent.

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><p>They stumbled down the beach, the two of them Briggs stumbling in the sand slightly.<p>

When they were sat in the sand listening to the waves when Briggs said suddenly his voice low and rough after listening to the waves. "I don't know what to do Mike" he said unable to control the shivering "I don't know what to do-I don't know what the hell I am doing any more"

It struck Mike that this was Brigg's at his most vulnerable. That this was what Brigg's must have been when he didn't have his friends, when he was a scared drug addict. This was Brigg's without the mask.

God It was unnerving.

"You know Paige is just upset." Mike warned slowly "She's the only girl in the house now and that scares her, not to mention for the last two months she's been looking after your baby as well as her own cases, she's burnt out Brigg's we all are"

"I don't know how to take care of her" Brigg's confessed and Mike blinked before nodding-it made sense "I don't know what to do" he kept repeating it like a mantra and Mike genuinely felt for the guy.

"Were all here" Mike continued "Me and Johnny and Jakes and Paige-were not gonna leave either one of you alone, you and Carina-you're not gonna be alone in this"

"Stop the drinking" he carried on looking over the shoreline. "Stop the sleeping in and focus on your daughter, get back to work and prove that your still one of the good guys." He paused "Prove to Charlie's memory that you can still be the man that she choose to have a baby with-imagine what she would have said if she'd have seen you tonight"

Briggs nodded numbly "There was a lot of glass" he mumbled and Mike nodded his eyes wide before wincing as Paul suddenly turned and was violently sick all over the sand. Once he had finished retching he turned shaking slightly "I could have killed her" he muttered. "I could have killed my own baby Mike" and he turned his face away so Mike didn't see what was so obviously painted on his face.

"Then let this be the turning point" Mike said relaying on his FBI physiological training "Be the dad that she deserves" he patted Briggs on his knee "And we always have your back"

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><p>Mike left Briggs on the beach for another five minutes before the Agent came back in his face whiter but he seemed calmer than before. By this time Mike had swept up most of the glass and hovered upstairs, he had cleaned up the bottles with an alarming sense of how they had grown and managed to pack Briggs into the shower while he made him a sandwich and some soup and a coffee, with a change of clothes, a shave and a good meal down him Brigg's looked at least thirty years younger. "Thank You" he muttered and Mike just nodded<p>

He was still playing with the edge of his plate when the door opened and Paige and Johnny came in. Johnny nodded once at Briggs before muttering something about 'getting a good night's rest' and Paige was just about to storm upstairs a sleeping baby in her arms when Mike gave a small cough.

She turned to stare at him blankly and Mike shot her a look before her eyes flickered to Briggs who was watching Carina with a blissful and hopeful expression.

Paige rolled her eyes before passing the baby to Mike. "Paige?" Brigg's asked his voice smaller than Mike thought possible "Was she hurt?" his voice was small and Paige flashed him with a quick pitying look "No" she said softly as the tension visibly deflated from Brigg's shoulders "You got lucky this time"

Once she had gone upstairs Mike passed the baby to Briggs muttering something about going upstairs and leaving Briggs to his daughter.

Once Mike had gone Paul yawned the night, the last two months taking its toll on him "I'm sorry baby" he muttered "I know your momma's not here but I promise you I'm gonna do my best to be the best daddy you've ever had so just bare with me"

He sat down on the chair curling up so Carina was falling asleep into his chest her little face scrunched up in sleep." Dragging a blanket over the two of them his eyelids suddenly heavy for the first time in months he fell asleep. For once it was devoid of any nightmares.

And when the residents of Graceland came downstairs the next day it was too there resident leader and his daughter fast asleep on the couch both of them wrapped up in nothing but each other, oblivious to the world.

And right there and then the residents of Graceland knew that everything was gonna be alright.

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><p><span><strong>And let me know what you all thought. <strong>

**Next Chapter-When Briggs takes Carina out trick or treating he understands what it feels like to lose your child for a brief moment and meets a man giving kids a different kind of (illegal) treat-Mike is heavily amused by all this of course. **


	2. Halloween

**Hello All Another Chapter for you all...**

**I would like to thank everyone who read the first chapter and I would just like to remind you that-**

**A) These prompts are NOT in chronological order **

**B) I would really like some prompts to write so if you have any please send them in!**

**This chapter is again filled with family fluff and a little smidge of hurt comfort so please let me know what you all thought-I love the character of Briggs so it's really important that I write him well. **

**This chapter also deals with a minor being distributed alcohol- I took this little story off a scene I saw in Hawaii five-0 so I hope it turned out ok-I am not an expert on anything that is legal. **

**Disclaimer-I own nothing but little Carina Briggs. **

**And As Always please read and review and let me know what you thought. **

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><p><span>Snapshots Of A Single Father<span>

Chapter 2- Halloween

When Briggs takes Carina out for trick or treating he understands what it's like to lose a child for a brief moment and meets a man giving kids an illegal kind of treat-Mike is heavily amused of course and Briggs personally feels like it's all his fault.

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><p>It was all Mike's fault. Or at least that was what he told himself. Carina was four now a hyperactive little demon (as Johnny called her) and now a dangerous case Brigg's had been undercover for had finished and much to Carina's joy and Mike's amusement Briggs was now able to take his daughter out trick or treating.<p>

It wasn't like Carina wasn't cute in her Halloween costume. Paige had decided to help and Carina was dressed in some sort of Hogwarts costume in white shirt, red and yellow tie and skirt and even with some glasses. Even Briggs who had never been a fan of the books had in the sense that Paige had been had to admit that there was something utterly adorable about his four year old dressing up like a Harry Potter character.

Southern California was a nightmare on Halloween, the beach was full of drunken bonfires and there were more children than Briggs had ever seen. "Ok Peanut" he said swing Carina up into his arms so that they were face to face and her Pumpkin shaped bag was swinging from side to side "Remember what we said at Graceland, say please thank you and don't leave Daddies side no matter what" at Carina's nod he dropped her down and gripping her hand tightly let her run off still in the sight of his eye.

It had been easy the last four years not by a long shot, for the first year Paige had watched him like a hawk wondering when the hell he would screw up again but after the glass incident Briggs knew he had been nothing but desperate to be a good father.

It had worked. Carina was now adjusted into Graceland. Silvo worked his cases so even if Brigg's had to get undercover there was always someone that could look after Carina and he didn't ever go in the field for long.

It hadn't been easy he would admit that. While loving Carina was easy looking after her wasn't. The whole of Graceland could attest to the fact that Carina could throw a temper-tantrum and her screams when she was a little baby were the stuff of nightmares but Briggs loved every second with his daughter, he had been the one that had been there when she had taken her first step, bending over his back aching as his daughter giggled when she took her first steps and had encouraged her when she said her first words.

Losing Charlie had been a nightmare but Briggs knew that if he didn't have his daughter he would have stuck the last needle into his arm and completely disintegrated. The morning after he had nearly killed (as he gruesomely called it and reminded himself off everyday) his daughter he had driven to where Charlie was buried and made a promise to always put her baby, his baby first.

At four Carina was now a talkative bubby normal child the only thing that Briggs had ever wanted. Graceland and Silvo out of either respect or something else Briggs didn't know about had decided that Paige, Jakes, Johnny, Mike and Briggs were enough in Graceland for the time being and Carina had moved into Charlie's room.

Part of Briggs was thrilled-the other part that remembered what had happened when he had been in that room and he and Mike had turned it around. It had been painted in a light blue and purple (Paige's idea) and had a better view of the ocean than Brigg's room did.

But still with her slightly tanned skin and dark eyes and black hair falling to her shoulders Briggs thought his daughter was nothing short of utterly adorable.

Looking back maybe back then he needed the kick up the backside that he got when Paige threatened to take away his daughter-nothing could have prepared him for the sinking, crashing feeling in his gut when he realised what could have happened and what he stood to lose.

It was only then that he realised that something had to be done.

It was then however that Paul Briggs realised something that made the blood in his veins turn to ice. He couldn't see his daughter.

Carina had skipped up the stairs to an apartment building her little cape thingy flying in the distance and while Briggs had realised that while he had been trapped in his memories he had taken his eyes of his little girl and now he couldn't find her.

He turned around the whole area becoming one big blur of noise and colours and his heart sizing into his chest. He couldn't think or breathe or turn into the FBI Agent that he was. He had worked before going undercover in the main bureau and he had seen kidnapping cases and the emotional effect they had on both the parents and the agents who worked them it was one of the reasons why he went undercover the first time.

But Jesus he had never understood what it had felt to be a parent when your child goes missing. Briggs had worked in this city for many years and he knew the types of scumbags that lived around here and he knew with a paralysing sense of anguish what they could be doing with his innocent peanut who didn't know anything was different.

Oh god he had lost his child, he had lost his daughter and he couldn't breathe because this was all like Charlie and now he was going to lose his daughter and Paige was right he was a horrible father and she was better off without him and he couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe…

"Daddy" came a voice to the side of him, a voice that he knew and loved, and a voice that he had known from the first word that she had uttered.

He whirled around his eyes wide to find Carina staring up at him her eyes wide from beneath her long brown hair and Paul let out something that sounded suspiciously like a sob before he scooped Carina up into him pressing her little face into his jacket and pressing a kiss to the mess of her dark hair inhaling that sweet, fresh clean scent that was his daughter.

"Carina" he crooned pulling back to press more kisses to his daughter's face who giggled "Oh Peanut" he said again resisting the urge to swear "You scared me so bad" he pressed another kiss to his daughter's nose "Sowry Daddy" Carina said her eyes wide in the streetlamps.

"It's ok peanut" Briggs said feeling the years slip off him "But please don't ever leave my side again ok because something really bad could have happened and I don't ever want that to happen to you ok?"

Carina nodded her head bobbing up and down endearingly and Briggs pressed a kiss to her hair again before dropping her back on the ground next to some apartment steps and placing her on his knee. "What's the catch then peanut?" he asked and she waved her bucket in front of him endearingly.

"Lots of chocolate Daddy" she said looking thrilled at the prospect but as she moved her bucket there was a clinking noise that sounded like glass clinking with each other.

"Let's see baby" Briggs said pulling the bucket so he was eye level with it and he stared feeling the embers of his anger ignite, because what he pulled out of his daughter's trick or treating bag was a small miniature bottle of whiskey followed by more miniatures of hard core alcohol.

"Where did you get this?" he said blinking a mixture of surprise and anger colouring his tone. Someone had given, someone had supplied his and god knows how many other children with alcohol.

Carina pointed to the door on the apartment level she had just been scooping for candy and Briggs nodded once hoisting her onto his hip and placing a demanding knock on the door she had indicated.

There was a long pause when the door opened and Briggs came face to face with a man who quite frankly in his opinion shouldn't be alive. He was bald, fat and middle aged and he was clearly in the middle of his meal.

Oh of all the days Briggs wished he had backup.

"Hello" he said sweetly "Do you know that selling alcohol to a minor is illegal and punishable by five to ten years in prison?" gently he deposits his child onto the floor "Now watch and learn from daddy sweetheart" he said smiling slightly.

And then Paul Briggs very quickly grabbed the big fat bald man and shoved him against the wall. He fished the handcuffs out of his back pocket and using one hand slammed them on the man his eyes wide and scared.

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><p>Then with one arm still gripping Carina's hand he walked them safely through the streets of Southern California until they got to the prescient that Graceland worked out off, Silvo was working (or rather sitting in his office with some bizarre classical music playing out) when Briggs slammed the man onto his chair.<p>

"Ah Agent Briggs" he said without opening his eyes. "I wondered how long it would be before I saw and heard your dulcet tones" he opened his eyes finally "Ah and Miss Carina" he said smiling down at Carina who had her thumb in her mouth a sure sign that she was tired, he reached into his wallet and pulled out five bucks before handing it to Carina who put it in her pumpkin bag. Briggs stared at his boss with incredulity "I don't have candy Briggs" Silvo snapped looking at the bottles Brigg's placed in front of him "I doubt you would want me to give out miniatures" he stared briefly "If evidence don't want them however I might keep them for me and the wife"

Briggs rolled his eyes before scooping Carina up "Happy Halloween" he said sardonically.

"I'm sorry peanut" he said as they sat in the car driving home "I suppose that wasn't the most exciting Halloween you ever had" Carina shook her head however emphatically "It was mazing daddy" she said smiling "You got to play superhero"

Paul laughed pressing another kiss to his daughters hair "I suppose I did peanut" he paused "How about we stop off at a convenient store and pick up some Cookie Dough?"

Carina nodded again a smile gracing her face and Paul chuckled to himself before feeling a pang of sadness. God his daughter looked so much like her mother when she smiled.

Once they got home to Graceland Carina skipped up the stairs clutching the tub she had half eaten in the car.

"Hey baby Briggs!" Johnny enthused covering up the file he had been reading and giving Carina a high five, and Mike who had been eating a sandwich smiled at them both. "You have a good night out?" Carina nodded her head bobbing up and down again and Johnny chuckled.

"Daddy got to slam a bad man against the wall for giving me I-llici-t things" she said spelling out the words and Johnny blinked "I'll tell you all in the morning" Paul said prying the candy out of Carina's hands and shooting a look at Mike that told him that he was so gonna get it for insisting that he take his daughter out and being the fault of the migraine that was now forming. "How we go to bed peanut hey?" he said sweeping the sleeping child against him and nodding to an amused Johnny and Mike who was still grinning like an idiot.

After a quick bath and a change of clothes Paul managed to get his daughter into bed with minimum fuss the events of the night tiring her out quicker than he thought. After a quick read of the book of fairy tales Mike had bought Carina on her third birthday, his daughter's eyes had fallen shut and her breathing had slowed down, and clutching her stuffed racoon (a present from Johnny) he gently placed another kiss to his daughter's forehead.

"Love you peanut" he said softly "Good night".

Four years ago if you had told FBI Agent Paul Briggs that he would be spending his Friday afternoon off reading fairy tales to his daughter after taking her out trick or treating he would have laughed and took another swig of his rum. But now that he knew that this had become reality he smiled.

And as he left his sleeping daughter's room Paul Briggs knew that he would never have it any other way.

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><p><span><strong>I will hopefully update as soon as I can in the meantime please read and review x <strong>

**Next Chapter-When at the beach Carina gets stung by a jellyfish and while Brigg's is panicking it's Johnny that comes to the rescue. **

**(I have no idea if there are Jellyfish in California however Graceland is set by the sea and I know from experience that if theirs a sea there is Jellyfish x) **


	3. Jellyfish

**Hi Everyone this is another chapter! **

**I love this story-Graceland is a fandom I very rarely indulge in and I am desperate to carry on this story but I need prompts! so please give me a prompt! I am unashamedly begging here! **

**A big thank you to all those who have read this story so far it is a big encouragement! **

**I am not a medical nor a geographical expert so I have no idea what to do in the case of a Jellyfish sting- I read this online so I apologise for any inconvenience. **

**These oneshots are not in chronological order just to remain clear. **

**Disclaimer- I own nothing but Carina Briggs **

**And please let me know what you thought x **

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><p><span>Chapter 3-Jellyfish<span>

When at the beach Carina is stung by a jellyfish and while Brigg's is panicking it's Johnny that comes to the rescue

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><p>When Carina is five, Brigg's enrols her in school. If the local elementary school is surprised that nearly five different people put their names down as Carina's secondary contact they don't show it and Brigg's parental glower (something he prides himself on very well-thank you very much) is enough to dissuade any questions.<p>

It also frees most of the day to go on cases. The biggest so far is tracking down the bastard that killed Charlie-the ringleader and most of the crew are either dead or inside however there are always more members of the crew still around. Sometimes he looks and sometimes he doesn't-but now when he finally has a plausible lead on a small group whose MO matches the one that killed Charlie he'll be dammed if he wastes it-especially and it's a frightening thought but especially if they come after Carina.

When he gets to that place he switches the light off (or on depending on the mood he's in) and goes to see his daughter sleeping using her as a buffer for the shaking in his hands and her face as protection from the nightmares.

So he enrols her in school. He's not an idiot-he knows he can't protect his daughter forever and if he drills in the no stranger rule more efficiently than other parents then he can blame it on his FBI training. And Carina is adorable in her school uniform but that's really another story.

He's working on a phone call to the lead that is also Russian a language Brigg's is unfamiliar with at best when it happens. It serves to age him nearly ten years.

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><p>Johnny was downstairs prodding what looks like a large lump in a black pot looking confused "You ok dude?" Mike asks as he comes in fresh from his run eyeing Johnny wearily-it's no secret Johnny isn't the best cook, two near gas explosions and Johnny's ability to burn coffee have proven that. Mike didn't even know it was possible to burn coffee but there you go.<p>

"It's lumpy" Johnny says poking the discarded food moodily. It's the two of them and Brigg's in the house today, Jakes and Paige both in the field on a joint task force that places them with a violent gun smuggler.

"You should have stirred it" Mike points out compelled to speak the obvious and Johnny pouts playing with a corner of Carina's book bag which is strewn all over the kitchen table, "Where is Brigg's junior" Mike askes getting himself a bottle of water and Johnny shook his head "Went down to the beach I think" he said Mike nodded "You told her not to go to in the water right?" he asked remembering just as he was heading up the stairs.

Johnny rolled his eyes "Yeah and I told her she only had five minutes before Brigg's finished his phone call" Mike snorted "Five minutes in the real world or five minutes in Carina's world?" and Johnny chuckled, it was common knowledge Carina had the skill where she could turn five minutes into twenty.

Their chuckles caught in their breath however when a scream of glass shattering proportions rang through the house. "Holy…" Johnny shouted his eyes wide and glassy and he dropped the spoon he was holding to race out the front door, Mike following.

But neither of them was a match for Paul Briggs who upon hearing his daughters scream had dropped the now ended phone call, and bolted down the stairs out the front door his legs moving so fast it was like the sand was flying out from under him.

Carina was sat on the sand her face streaked with tears holding her leg and her breath coming in trembling grasps. "Peanut" he said dropping down next to his daughter, his hands trembling and his eyes wide and scared. Mike skidded to a halt next to him and winced when he saw the white colour of Brigg's normally sun-beatened skin.

Now Mike Warren had seen Paul Brigg's anger, hurt, scared, and destroyed in the aftermath of Charlie's death but even he fell short at the look on Brigg's face. It was the look of stark terror.

"Daddy" Carina sobbed when she saw Briggs as Johnny came to a stop next to them sand flying.

"It's ok peanut" Paul crooned pulling his distraught daughter into her arms "What happened where are you hurt?" Johnny bent down his eyes focused on a red spot on Carina's leg. Carina pointed to it and Johnny nodded his gaze now focused on the sea. "Paul" he said his voice sharper and Mike understood that this was Agent Tuturro speaking and not Johnny, "We need to get her inside"

Briggs nodded wrapping Carina up and carrying her inside. Once they got inside Johnny cleared the table and Brigg's sat his distraught daughter on the table wrapping her in his strong arms.

"We need to call an ambulance" Mike said eventually through numb lips and winced as Brigg's seemed to go even whiter his hands increasing in their trembling as he cradled his daughter closer to him as she choked on her own sobs.

"Nah we don't" Johnny said soothingly from where he was eyeing Carina's leg with a critical eye "She's been stung by a jellyfish" Mike blinked, growing up in Washington he didn't have access to jellyfish but even he knew that jellyfish stings were bad.

In one quick fluid movement Johnny dumped a whole bottle of vinegar over Carina leg. She gave a small cry and Briggs flinched silently looking like he had been shot.

"It's ok kid" Johnny said soothingly "Mike" he said keeping his voice calm and even managing a smile "Go and get me some shaving cream and either a credit card or a razor blade then fill the bath with hot water ok?" Mike nodded and disappeared upstairs.

"Johnny" Paul whimpered and Johnny caught his eye before smiling softly "It's ok" he said much to Paul as to Carina and he dropped his eyes to her wide eyed gaze "Sweetie does your chest hurt at all?-it's really important that you tell me" Carina shook her head her hair bobbing and Johnny breathed a sigh of relief "Ok you have to tell me the second that that changes ok?"

When Mike returned he carried a credit card of Jakes and what looked like his shaving cream handing them both to Johnny without a word.

"Ok" Johnny said squirting a decent amount on Carina's leg "The vinegar should had removed all the toxins from her leg but this will take away all of the stingers that are left" he scraped the card up and down in a quiet moment for nearly five minutes until he said "Ok kid you are all done, let's get you in the bath and then Uncle Mike can help clear things with your school and doctor"

Paul nodded lifting Carina up and carrying her upstairs. The bath tub was filled with warm water and once Carina was able to move her leg a little Johnny smiled before patting Brigg's on the shoulder "I'll get her a change of clothes and when her leg is washed bandage it up and take her downstairs ok?"

There was no emotion from Brigg's other than a curt nod. Johnny left the change of pyjamas by the door and staggered downstairs to Mike who was just hanging up the phone looking like a man trying to grasp reality.

"You did everything right" he said finally and Johnny breathed a sigh of relief. "They said to keep her off school for the rest of the week". Mike nodded to himself "How did you know what to do anyway?" he asked and Johnny grinned "You grow up near the surf, you know what to do in case of a jellyfish sting"

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><p>Once Carina came down dressed in her small fuzzy white sleeping jumper and shorts, her leg was heavily bandaged and to Mike and Johnny's surprise without her father.<p>

"Hey kid" Johnny said once she had got herself seated on the sofa, "Where's your daddy?" Carina shrugged wincing slightly "Upstairs" she said her little face creased in concern "Is he alright?" she said and Johnny shot Mike a look who nodded heading for the stairs. "Course he is darling" Johnny said cheerfully "He was on a phone call when you screamed-now come on lets go and pick out a movie"

When Mike got up to the stairs he paused at the bathroom in Charlie's room, the water had gone from the bath and the steam was rapidly cooling from the walls and windows, the only thing solitary in the room was Paul Briggs who was sat on the floor near the bath looking utterly wreaked.

It created a flashback in Mike's head of another time when Briggs had looked like that, so utterly helpless, so close to losing everything all over again.

"Hey" he said standing his ground and the noise made Brigg's jump but still didn't focus his eyes on anything "So I called the school and then the local hospital-they both told me that Johnny did the right thing, unless she starts having breathing trouble we should be in the clear"

Brigg's nodded forcing himself to stand up before something ran across his face too fast for Mike to see it and he just crumpled, he swayed slightly and Mike gripped his elbow hard. Then he pushed Mike aside so fast he stumbled slightly and threw up hard in the toilet.

Mike winced as Brigg's continued to dry-heave until Mike was sure he had thrown up even his stomach lining, when he was finished Mike handed him a glass of water and Brigg's sipped it looking older than he had in a while.

"She's fine" Mike said soothingly "its ok" Briggs laughed humorously at that and when he opened his eyes they were dark with pain. "When she screamed Mike I swear my heart imploded, I couldn't move-I had just put the phone down and I couldn't move until I heard you move downstairs, and then she's sat crying and screaming and then she's just silent and I couldn't… I didn't know what to say to her because if I had opened my mouth downstairs…" he shook his head and Mike patted his arm softly.

"She's fine Paul" he said his voice low and unquestionable and Briggs took another shuddering breath before nodding to himself. "Come on" he pulled Briggs to a standing position and forced him down the stairs.

"Daddy!" Carina cried as she saw Brigg's and he smiled gently pulling his daughter close to him, another look of relief passing his face. "What we watching peanut?" he asked as he shot Johnny a mock glare for handing Carina the Ben and Jerry's ice cream, Carina grinned again her face lighting up "Tangled" she said and Johnny, Mike and Briggs all collectively groaned inwards.

"Of Course" Mike muttered "I'm gonna go get a shower" he groaned leaving Johnny and Briggs with the happy five year old. "Hey John-boy" Paul muttered finally when Carina's head became heavy against his chest indicating that the events had tired her out, "Thank you" he said his voice becoming thick and Johnny smiled his face crinkling to look younger than he actually was.

"Don't worry bro" Johnny said patting Paul on the shoulder "Your family-you'd do the same for us" he ruffled a sleeping Carina and going back into the kitchen.

"Yeah" Paul said stretching out and covering his sleeping daughter with a blanket calming himself completely with the feel of her small and utterly precious body tucked in near his own.

"Yeah, Yeah I would" he said finally too low for Johnny to hear him and he leaned back utterly exhausted both emotionally and physically.

This right here, this house, these people, they were his family.

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><p><span><strong>I will hopefully update soon x <strong>

**Next Chapter-Brigg's gets the final information on what's left of the cartel that killed Charlie but they seem to have other motivations and Mike is forced to step up and protect Carina at the possible extent of his own life. **


	4. Gunshots

**Hi Everyone this is another chapter! **

**I have one more prompt of my own so I wont update until I get another prompt because then this story will be finished and I really don't want that-I hope that is fair and you all understand that. So PLEASE prompt!**

**Disclaimer-I own nothing **

**Warning-Violence and Language and Brigg's Angst **

**And Please review and prompt-here's to hoping I'll update soon x **

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><p><span>Chapter 4-Gunshots<span>

When Brigg's gets the final information on what's left of the cartel that killed Charlie he realises only to late that he might not be the target and Mike is forced to step up and protect Carina at the possible extent of his own life.

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><p>Brigg's doesn't sleep for nearly a weak. He's a mess of cases and five year olds and Russian phone calls and he lets some things slide. His daughter regrettably being one of them.<p>

But he is _this _close. He can taste the blood of the men that killed his girlfriend and he wants to see it spilled more than anything.

So he leaves early, leaves a confused Carina with a spitting Paige and an irritable Mike and he Johnny and Jakes pack up into the car and go to the west of Southern California armed with enough guns to blow apart a small village and two S.W.A.T teams to back them up.

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><p>Mike is irritable. A small concussion results in him being out for a couple of weeks and being trapped in a house with a sick child and an angry Paige is not Mike Warren's idea of fun.<p>

In his opinion he doesn't really of Carina as sick. She's well on the mend and other than a paranoid father and a slight cough she should be in school, but for now she's cuddled on the couch watching and eating what's left of Paige's pancakes.

That's when it happens.

There's a knock on the door that makes Mike stop, people don't knock at Graceland. Silvo, Paige, Briggs, Johnny and Jakes and him have keys and other than that nobody _nobody_ knows that they are here. And nobody knocks.

When Mike goes to the door (having silently loaded his piece from the porch) he opens to see three dark haired cops all in uniform. "Hello" Mike says distinctly unimpressed and more than a little surprised. He gestures behind him and he can feel Carina, her five year old personality making her curious.

"Hello Agent Michael Warren?" one of them asks his voice smooth and brimming with confidence and his dark eyes alight with malice and Mike blinks because nobody, _ever_ calls him Mike.

"Yes" he says shifting until he's covering Carina bracing himself for when he has to tell her to run and hoping against hope that she remembers where the emergency phone is.

"Agent Briggs asked us to take Carina into protective custody a little over an hour ago" the same cop says confidence utterly unshaken and Mike bits back a smile. No way in hell would Brigg's do that, A. Briggs doesn't trust cops and B. he wouldn't do anything concerning Carina without checking with whoever is watching her first.

And Mike knows that Paul trusts them all with Carina's life. It's the closest he's come to, to trusting them with his own.

"No" he says and the smile falls of the man's face as he sees the determined look on Mike's face. He moves so quickly Mike's almost impressed. Almost.

Carina runs up the stairs at Mike's shout of "Run and go now" scrambling backwards to the upstairs bathroom and Mike deflects a shot to elbow a man in the stomach giving him enough time to flip the other one over. A bullet detaches itself into the wall just past his ear and Mike wishes against all hope Paige would hurry up from her run and get the hell back home.

The first one recovered and Mike grabbed his gun and much to his satisfaction the bullet he shot in him stayed in him one in the gut and one in the head.

Then came the second one. But Mike wasn't thinking as he realised what Briggs had told him, you become your undercover identity. And as Mike kicked and punched and shoved he realised he wasn't Mike Warren anymore-he was Levi.

He would never tell anyone that he could have cried when Paige managed a roundhouse kick on the third guy and flashed a weary grin at Mike.

Oh shit. Carina.

Oh Shit. Briggs.

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><p>Once she had managed to get to the stairs the five year old had grabbed the phone off the hook and ran into her bedroom managing to throw herself under her bed.<p>

It was what Daddy had told her to do, and fumbling with the phone and whimpering a little she flicked down the emergency numbers like daddy had taught her until she got to the one labelled with his name.

Paul Briggs was furious, nearly five years it had taken to get the lead and now it was gone. The last three remnants from the cartel that had killed Charlie gone underground. Johnny was driving him back both him and Jakes silent. This had been personal for most of the Graceland residents and it was infuriating that they were so close but yet still so far.

Then the phone rang the sound cutting through the car and Briggs reached absentmindedly flicking it onto speakerphone when he saw Mike's name flashing onto the screen.

"What?" he snarled and froze when he heard a sniffle followed by an all too familiar voice cutting through the phone "Daddy?" Briggs shot up his eyebrows raising and Johnny and Jakes shot themselves surprised looks.

"Hey Peanut, what's going on? Are you and Uncle Mike ok?" he asked as Johnny discreetly placed his foot down on the pedal increasing the speed of the car.

"Daddy I think there's a bad guy in the house" Carina whispered and Briggs gaped for a second, his mind going blank with something only describable as sheer panic.

"Where's your Uncle Mike kid?" Johnny asked and he slammed his foot down the car roaring and Carina was cut off by a bang that sounded all too reminiscent of a gunshot.

Oh God Paul thought his hands a shaking blur. That was a gunshot and Carina who screamed. "Peanut" he croaked his heart stopping when he heard nothing on the other end of the line before that sweet and utterly pure voice that he had come to cherish came over the phone "Daddy"

Paul bit back the sob as he realised that they were still ten minutes away and utterly helpless, powerless to prevent what was happening. That someone had invaded his home, was scaring his daughter-a someone who might not realise that Carina was Paul's world and without her there was nothing for him.

"Carina" Johnny said his voice low and soft "Calm yourself down sweetheart and stay where you are-I need you to promise that you won't leave the room you're in ok?"

There was a long pause and then the phone went silent as there was a scrabbling sound.

Like someone being dragged out.

"Shit" Jakes muttered as Johnny went full throttle the car moving so fast it was a miracle the three of them weren't flung from it at moving speed.

But Paul Brigg's couldn't think about that. In truth if you asked him later what he was thinking he honestly couldn't tell you, all he could feel was wave after wave of anguish crashing down on him and he was suddenly unable to breathe. "Paul" Johnny said slowly but he couldn't answer-couldn't hear-couldn't breathe over the noise and the rushing in his head.

God his child. His daughter. His beautiful daughter-the only thing he had that was worth really living for was out there in danger, scared and the only thing in the world that Brigg's would happily sell his soul for would be to wrap his arms around Carina and promise her that everything would be alright. That Daddy was here to protect her.

When they got to the house Briggs felt his stomach recoil. The front door was blown off his hinges, and there was two bullet holes in the wall. Johnny swore as he nearly tripped over a body that was lying on the floor, the three agents grounded to a halt when they saw Paige leaning against the stairs her gun in one hand, a nasty cut on the top of her head and a glass of what looked like rum in the other.

"Hey" she said wincing her face pulling as she stared at her drink "I don't know how you drink this shit Brigg's its awful"

Then came the voice that Brigg's had been desperate to hear with everything that he was. "Daddy!" and there at the top of the stairs clutching at Mike-who looked exhausted was Carina.

"Carina" Brigg's moaned his arms open sinking to his knees as his daughter all but launched herself into his arms. Briggs wrapped two arms around her hugging her to his hip and burring his face into the loose curls.

"Three dead-the three we were looking for" Mike said grimly from where he was leaning on Johnny looking a little worse for wear. He caught Brigg's eye like all those years ago when it had been him, Charlie and Brigg's in the room and his eyes filled with a sense of relief and pity. "It's over"

Paul nodded unable to comprehend the unending sense of gratitude he felt for keeping the only thing he had to live for alive. "Kid" he mumbled over Carina's shoulder "I don't know how the hell I am going to pay you back for this one"

Mike let out a laugh taking a long draft of Paige's rum "The carpet's shagged" he said flatly "There are two bullets in the wall, three dead people and the front door is definitely a goner-it's about three months of work and I'll be on remedial assessment for God-knows how long so how about we just call it even."

"Mike" Jakes said from where he and Johnny were sat on the floor two stunned to move anywhere else and Mike took a deep breath catching Brigg's eyes.

"Yeah" he said finally "Were ok"

They weren't ok-not by a long shot but that night four agents of law enforcement three FBI once Immigration and Customs and one DEA and a sleepy and stunned five year old her face pressed against her father's shoulder her eyes anywhere but the bodies dumped on the balcony sat and drank to their former friend and marvelled in their mortality and the fact that they were still able to fight for another day.

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><p><span><strong>Let me know what you all thought-a thank you to everyone who has read so far...<strong>

**Next Chapter(to be written on the recipient of the next prompt) Carina, Briggs and the rest of the Graceland residents go to the pool, (with Jakes son Daniel) whilst there Briggs sees a little boy getting rather friendly with his daughter and disapproves- Paul Is protective, Mike and Johnny are exasperated, Jakes understanding (kinda of) and Paige amused**


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